Sep 28, 2018, 11:53 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Today we’re introducing a few updates for members with MileagePlus Premier® status — some of which are already in effect and some that will come later. These updates include added benefits related to boarding groups and baggage allowances, as well as adjustments to our upgrade structure and Premier 1K® status qualification requirements.
Better boarding
Effective on September 18, 2018
· Premier® 1K® members will be called to board during pre-boarding ahead of Group 1
· Premier Gold members will now board with Boarding Group1, previous in Group 2
Baggage allowance for Premier members
Effective on September 28, 2018:
All Premier® members, regardless of Premier status, will receive the same standard weight allowance for checked baggage: 70 lbs. (32 kg.)
Additionally:
· All Premier members flying in United Business®, United First®, or United Polaris® business class are allowed up to three bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
· Premier Gold members flying in United Economy® between the U.S. and Europe are allowed three bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
· Premier Silver members flying in United Economy between the U.S. and Europe are allowed two bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
Premier qualification requirements
Effective on January 1, 2019:
· Premier qualification dollar (PQD) requirement for Premier 1K status will be raised from $12,000 to $15,000.
· P-class fares will earn 150% Premier qualifying miles (PQM), reduced from 200%.
Premier upgrades
Effective on January 1, 2019:
· The way a Premier 1K member earns additional upgrades will be changing. For every 25,000 Premier qualifying miles (PQM) or 30 Premier qualifying segments (PQS) after qualifying for Premier 1K status, we’ll add one Global Premier Upgrades into your account. No additional Regional Premier Upgrades can be earned after qualifying for Premier 1K status.
More details can be found here: www.mileageplusupdates.com
- UA Insider
Better boarding
Effective on September 18, 2018
· Premier® 1K® members will be called to board during pre-boarding ahead of Group 1
· Premier Gold members will now board with Boarding Group1, previous in Group 2
Baggage allowance for Premier members
Effective on September 28, 2018:
All Premier® members, regardless of Premier status, will receive the same standard weight allowance for checked baggage: 70 lbs. (32 kg.)
Additionally:
· All Premier members flying in United Business®, United First®, or United Polaris® business class are allowed up to three bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
· Premier Gold members flying in United Economy® between the U.S. and Europe are allowed three bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
· Premier Silver members flying in United Economy between the U.S. and Europe are allowed two bags with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) per bag.
Premier qualification requirements
Effective on January 1, 2019:
· Premier qualification dollar (PQD) requirement for Premier 1K status will be raised from $12,000 to $15,000.
· P-class fares will earn 150% Premier qualifying miles (PQM), reduced from 200%.
Premier upgrades
Effective on January 1, 2019:
· The way a Premier 1K member earns additional upgrades will be changing. For every 25,000 Premier qualifying miles (PQM) or 30 Premier qualifying segments (PQS) after qualifying for Premier 1K status, we’ll add one Global Premier Upgrades into your account. No additional Regional Premier Upgrades can be earned after qualifying for Premier 1K status.
More details can be found here: www.mileageplusupdates.com
- UA Insider
Good news! I got written confirmation from 1kvoice on the below:
We will honor 200% Premier Qualifying Mile (PQM) accrual for tickets purchased before September 28, 2018 for travel on/after January 1, 2019.
• A manual adjustment to 200% PQM accrual for P-fare flown segments can be made post-departure at the customer’s request.
• Any tickets purchased after September 28, 2018, for travel on/after January 1, 2019 are only eligible to receive 150% PQM accrual.
• A manual adjustment to 200% PQM accrual for P-fare flown segments can be made post-departure at the customer’s request.
• Any tickets purchased after September 28, 2018, for travel on/after January 1, 2019 are only eligible to receive 150% PQM accrual.
Related threads
United's New Boarding Process (with Wiki) [starting 18 Sep 2018]
Partner P fare earning after 1 Jan 2019
Updates to MP Premier Program -1K PQD $15K, P fare 150%, fewer RPU, Bag waiver & more
May 7, 2019, 9:30 pm
#601
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,391
No, it's a marketing program that's supposed to drive business to United. You're buying into a myth.
If your expectation is for UA -- or any airline -- to attempt to trim its rolls of its frequent travelers, you're going to find yourself perpetually disappointed. UA's goal is for there to be as many 1Ks as they can afford to support, and for them to be as profitable as possible.
The reason not to award it to everyone isn't that it matters or doesn't matter; it's that the program is designed to elicit this exact emotional response. UA wants people to spend lots of money on their flights, so they attempt to make people feel special for doing so.
If your expectation is for UA -- or any airline -- to attempt to trim its rolls of its frequent travelers, you're going to find yourself perpetually disappointed. UA's goal is for there to be as many 1Ks as they can afford to support, and for them to be as profitable as possible.
The reason not to award it to everyone isn't that it matters or doesn't matter; it's that the program is designed to elicit this exact emotional response. UA wants people to spend lots of money on their flights, so they attempt to make people feel special for doing so.
May 7, 2019, 11:30 pm
#602
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,348
By 30th of June I won't have 50% of what I need to make 1K this year with the current requirements (first time in 10 years or so).
But I will run out of GPUs in a few months and will need to book "P" fares instead of "W" like I have been for the first half of the year, so I am still confident to just squeeze in by 31st December, despite the 150% vs. 200% being quite critical.
May 8, 2019, 5:43 am
#603
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,039
Over the past few weeks, I’ve started thinking that there are way too many 1K’s—there’s an over abundance of GS too, but that’s a different issue.
I hope the new $15k PQD culls the herd. If not, I’d be in favor of them pushing the PQD higher, though I’d really like all revenue sources (change fees, fare differences, upgrade charges, etc.) to be included in the tally.
I suppose it’s the newly instituted pre-boarding that highlights just how many 1K’s there are. On some flights between SFO and LAX there are as many as two dozen.
Am I alone in thinking that there are just too many 1K’s?
I hope the new $15k PQD culls the herd. If not, I’d be in favor of them pushing the PQD higher, though I’d really like all revenue sources (change fees, fare differences, upgrade charges, etc.) to be included in the tally.
I suppose it’s the newly instituted pre-boarding that highlights just how many 1K’s there are. On some flights between SFO and LAX there are as many as two dozen.
Am I alone in thinking that there are just too many 1K’s?
And you hope the $15K PQD "culls the heard?" If memory serves me correctly, many on FT believed that when UA originally implemented PQDs and set it at @$12K and didn't allow credit card waiver to exempt the PQD requirement, that it would "cull the heard." And that by not crediting PQDs on alliance tickets like both Delta and AA allow, that it would "cull the herd."
How's all the herd culling workin' out?
Regards
May 8, 2019, 9:58 am
#604
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS/ BOM
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,567
Ummm... seriously? In 2019 you just had the epiphany that there are too many 1Ks?
And you hope the $15K PQD "culls the heard?" If memory serves me correctly, many on FT believed that when UA originally implemented PQDs and set it at @$12K and didn't allow credit card waiver to exempt the PQD requirement, that it would "cull the heard." And that by not crediting PQDs on alliance tickets like both Delta and AA allow, that it would "cull the herd."
How's all the herd culling workin' out?
Regards
And you hope the $15K PQD "culls the heard?" If memory serves me correctly, many on FT believed that when UA originally implemented PQDs and set it at @$12K and didn't allow credit card waiver to exempt the PQD requirement, that it would "cull the heard." And that by not crediting PQDs on alliance tickets like both Delta and AA allow, that it would "cull the herd."
How's all the herd culling workin' out?
Regards
May 8, 2019, 10:15 am
#605
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,391
. Then, again, when they increased it to $12K.I still maintain it's a false premise, though. If you're not seeing the benefit of being a 1K, it's not because UA is providing 1K benefits to too many other customers. It's because they're selling the premium cabin, thus reducing the number of upgrades they're awarding to anybody.
May 8, 2019, 10:44 am
#606
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
May 8, 2019, 11:33 am
#607
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
I have no doubt the number of 1K and GS are dramatically higher than just a few years ago. It wasn't that many years ago that even Gold members could regularly complimentary upgrade to F on HNL-SFO with smaller F cabins. If I don't buy F outright, I'm often 10+ on the upgrade list....
May 8, 2019, 11:52 am
#608
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,039
I still maintain it's a false premise, though. If you're not seeing the benefit of being a 1K, it's not because UA is providing 1K benefits to too many other customers. It's because they're selling the premium cabin, thus reducing the number of upgrades they're awarding to anybody.
And then yes, even upgrades. Sure, all of the US3 are more aggressively monetizing the front of the cabin, but nonetheless, there are still folks that get upgrades on most flights; less than before of of course, but those still exist and thus increased elite populations make that all the harder.
So, when you are talking about finite, physical space type things, I think its a little naive to pretend that minting out more and more elites every year has zero impact on "the system." As the saying goes, if everyone is special, nobody is special...
Now, all that said, for the most part, I don't care that much. My wife and have been adopting the "if you can't beat them join them" mode of operation and we just pretty much buy the seat we want. So now, we just often buy the seat that people in these forums spend hours refreshing their app and compulsively checking the seat maps over, while desperately hoping to "clear."
Regards
May 8, 2019, 12:03 pm
#609
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,391
Even something as simple as the elite counter at check-in; as the number of elites continues to grow those lines grow longer and thus less useful. Or club access which is a privilege of elite status (not just 1K and GS), clubs are not infinite in size and thus the more that become eligible through status attainment, the more chaotic and less enjoyable the club/lounge experience becomes.
And then yes, even upgrades. Sure, all of the US3 are more aggressively monetizing the front of the cabin, but nonetheless, there are still folks that get upgrades on most flights; less than before of of course, but those still exist and thus increased elite populations make that all the harder.
E+ access is actually the primary reason I've stuck with UA -- they're normally much cheaper than their competition once I factor that in.
May 8, 2019, 12:51 pm
#610
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,016
I have no doubt the number of 1K and GS are dramatically higher than just a few years ago. It wasn't that many years ago that even Gold members could regularly complimentary upgrade to F on HNL-SFO with smaller F cabins. If I don't buy F outright, I'm often 10+ on the upgrade list....
May 8, 2019, 2:07 pm
#611
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K and MM, Marriot, Hilton
Posts: 804
Over the past few weeks, I’ve started thinking that there are way too many 1K’s—there’s an over abundance of GS too, but that’s a different issue.
I hope the new $15k PQD culls the herd. If not, I’d be in favor of them pushing the PQD higher, though I’d really like all revenue sources (change fees, fare differences, upgrade charges, etc.) to be included in the tally.
I suppose it’s the newly instituted pre-boarding that highlights just how many 1K’s there are. On some flights between SFO and LAX there are as many as two dozen.
Am I alone in thinking that there are just too many 1K’s?
I hope the new $15k PQD culls the herd. If not, I’d be in favor of them pushing the PQD higher, though I’d really like all revenue sources (change fees, fare differences, upgrade charges, etc.) to be included in the tally.
I suppose it’s the newly instituted pre-boarding that highlights just how many 1K’s there are. On some flights between SFO and LAX there are as many as two dozen.
Am I alone in thinking that there are just too many 1K’s?
May 8, 2019, 2:47 pm
#612
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,039
Why, in spite of all the previous evidence to the contrary, do you believe that now, this year, all the sudden, raising the bar by a mere $3K will magically solve this problem?
Regards
May 8, 2019, 2:54 pm
#613
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,391
In fact, isn't it just as likely to exacerbate the "problem"? If people are motivated by these levels -- and I know that I have been in the past -- and they raise the target, it's entirely possible that people will travel more in response. Thus, your average flight could have more 1Ks than it did before.
May 8, 2019, 3:11 pm
#614
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: PHL | EWR
Programs: UA Platinum | Amex Platinum
Posts: 95
Just gotta say, it's a crying shame how not only did UA increase the PQD's needed to require for 1K, but also the fact that the annual RPU allowance has been reduced drastically. This will not increase the amount of full fare tickets purchased by it's highest paying clients. It's going to cause an exodus toward DL and its more user friendly policies.
May 8, 2019, 3:14 pm
#615
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,391
UA will still offer a 1K 4 RPUs plus 6+ GPUs, and they publish an inventory bucket so you can tell whether or not they'll clear.
DL choices at Diamond include 4 GPUs or 8 RPUs or 2 GPUs and 4 RPUs, and they do not publish an inventory bucket.
How is that more user friendly?